Chasing The Stars ✔️

chapter twenty nine - accomplished

Joanne stood in front of me with her face twisted in concentration. Her mouth was pursed as she filled in my eyebrows, her cool hand barely grazing my face as she worked her magic. Her eyes were set and didn't defer from my face as she worked. I tried to say as still as I could as I sat on the make-up seat but the severity of the situation made it difficult.

"You're nervous." Joanne smirks as she moves back to grab a different brush.

I sigh and shut my eyes before opening them again as she begins working. "Why wouldn't I be? This is make or break for Theo and I."

Stating it out loud makes the whole situation more daunting than I thought it would be. Our contracts are in the legal process of being changed, now approved by management, but we now face the real enemy. The public. The realisation dawned on me last night as it occurred to me that we could still be fired and shamed if the public didn't like us together.

They have been rooting for us from day one, however. A moment between our characters on-screen or a small smile between Theo and I off-screen sent them berserk. Videos of moments we had had been posted to YouTube and fan accounts had been made. This didn't mean there weren't haters, however, and the people who were supportive of our relationship were only a fraction of the amount of responses we were about to deal with.

"This is going to be your make," Joanna smiles encouragingly. "You guys are great together, they'll all see that. The whole world will."

Fear strikes down my spine at the phrase whole world because I know that this is it. But, previous to my initial fears, I now feel calm about moving forward with Theo and I's relationship. We're solid and on the same page. By supporting each other so effortlessly now, it's as though an extra shot of courage has been injected into my nerve wracked body.

My eyes immediately flick over to Theo's figure as he walks into the room. Done with wardrobe, he's wearing a white shirt, rolled up to his elbows, with black formal trousers on. His hair is slicked back but I grin internally at it's rebellion against it, leaving him with messy hair. My stomach clenches at his appearance, his attractiveness throwing me off my usual collected persona.

"You okay? You look gorgeous." Theo smiles, walking towards me and taking my hand.

I close my eyes as Joanna sweeps a brush across my cheekbones but squeeze his hand back. Dressed in a gorgeous pink pant suit, the arrival of new clothes has given me a small boost of confidence. Made my back straighter and held my head a litter bit higher, just as new clothes always do.